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St. Charles man charged with seeking sex with 15-year-old girl

Suspect unknowingly communicated with St. Charles detective

Peter I. Madsen was charged with with traveling to meet a minor, indecent solicitation of a child and grooming, solicitation to meet a child and distributing harmful material to a child.

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP – A St. Charles man faces criminal charges for soliciting a sexual act with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl, but was actually a St. Charles police detective, according to a news release from Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon.

But when Peter I. Madsen, 29, of the 1100 block of Charleston Drive, St. Charles, went to the girl’s house once he was told her mother was out, he was arrested, the release stated.

Madsen was charged Oct. 15 with traveling to meet a minor, indecent solicitation of a child and grooming – all felonies. He was also charged with solicitation to meet a child and distributing harmful material to a child, both misdemeanors, the release stated.

According to St. Charles police, between Oct. 1 and Oct. 3, Madsen allegedly initiated a conversation through a computer server with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl.

Kane County prosecutors allege that on Oct. 3, Madsen traveled to meet a child he met through Internet communication whom he believed was 15 years old with the intent of engaging in a sex act.

Prosecutors and police allege Madsen discussed engaging in a sex act with the child, went to a location in St. Charles where he believed the 15-year-old was and provided lewd images of himself to the child.

Madsen allegedly asked to meet with the child at her home in St. Charles when her mother was not home. When the child said her mother was gone, Madsen told the child he was coming over, the release stated.

St. Charles police placed Madsen under arrest when he arrived at the address.

Madsen actually communicated with a St. Charles police detective, not a child.

St. Charles police became aware of Madsen when a computer server operator contacted them and informed them that they believed someone in St. Charles had been sending lewd images to several children through the server, the release stated.

Madsen was released after posting $4,000 bail or 10% of the $40,000 bond that was set.